


Rest And Rebuild

by Lumelle



Series: Silver Bells, Golden Bells [5]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Courtesans, M/M, Nwalin Week, Rebuilding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-28
Updated: 2016-05-28
Packaged: 2018-07-10 17:18:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6997543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lumelle/pseuds/Lumelle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Besides Dale, Laketown is also being rebuilt, and Dwalin and Nori are taking a look at the progress. However, there is something back in Erebor that needs rebuilding as well.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rest And Rebuild

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for Nwalin Week 2016, for the prompt "Beorn's House / Laketown".
> 
> **Please note** that this story contains references to contractual companionship with sexual elements. Please read accordingly.

"I don't get it." Dwalin frowned, looking out to the lake. Most of the ruins had been cleared away, and a couple of new houses had been quickly built where the town had once stood. They weren't great or grand, but he supposed they were passable as far as houses went. Still only wood, though. Not good. "Why would they come back here? Dale is being rebuilt quickly, it's not like there's no room for them."

"Thorin's Halls weren't that bad a place, certainly not towards the end. Why would you bother coming back to Erebor? We could have all just lived out our lives back there."

"That's entirely different and you know it." Dwalin frowned at Nori, not that he actually felt very disagreeable. It was just too nice a day for that, the kind of good weather where he probably would have left the mountain even if they hadn't already been on the road, having been asked to check on the situation of Laketown.

It wasn't the kind of assignment that Dwalin would have usually taken, but he knew Nori needed to get out of the mountain every now and then. Taking some days off to go down to the lake would hopefully get rid of the worst of his restlessness.

"Is it, though?" Nori shook his head. "They're men, remember, they don't live that long. I'd wager there isn't a single soul there who lived even a day in old Dale, probably not that many who even had parents who remembered it in any kind of detail. For them, Dale is an old tale and Laketown is their home. Sure, it was a pretty miserable home for most, but at least it's familiar, and Dale really isn't the same at all."

"I suppose." He still didn't exactly understand why anyone would choose to make their home in rickety wooden buildings above water when they could have instead taken shelter in the old stone houses of Dale, now quickly being repaired and rebuilt with the help of dwarven crafters, but then he was a dwarf, he was always going to feel more at home under stone.

"We shouldn't complain, anyway. We need more and more food to feed everyone, and the river isn't giving enough. With some of them settling at the lake, I think we'll see a lot of trade in fresh fish soon enough."

"Assuming the fish aren't still poisoned from the dragon blood." The men insisted that the fish of the lake were returning, now that soon two years had passed since Smaug crashed in the water and it had all been washed away by the stream of the river, but Dwalin wasn't quite so trusting.

"The elves say it's fine, and I suppose they could tell. And don't glare at me like that, you know they want to keep us alive now that the dragon is gone. They need the trade and the defences, whether they admit it or not. An empty mountain won't shield them if more orcs come up."

"You're still being awfully trusting," Dwalin sighed. "And entirely too sensible, I'd say."

"I'm pretty sure that's part of my job." Nori smirked, far too amused at Dwalin's expense. "Advisory duties, remember? Someone's got to speak some sense into you or we'll soon have a new war at our hands."

"I'm not the one that's going to start a war," Dwalin murmured, though without much heart behind his words. "But if one does start, I'd like to be around to end it."

"Aye, by splitting skulls until there are no more to be split. Now, I'd hate to spoil your fun so, but I do think it'd be better for all if we waited at least a few more years before our next grand battle." Nori leaned forward to pat his pony's neck. "Now, how about we set up a camp? It's been a long way, and it's not like we're in a particular hurry. Let's settle down, let our ponies rest, and go see the fishermen tomorrow."

"If you wish." Not that he actually protested at the idea of some rest. As Nori had said, it had been a long ride from Erebor, and while they hadn't exactly hurried, they also hadn't let themselves dally over night camps, either. "Even if you just want us to take as long as possible so your brothers will forget whatever it is they were getting on your case about."

"Unlikely." Nori snorted as they turned their ponies away from the lake, starting to look for a suitable place to set up their camp. "All I can hope for is a few more days of peace before I'm inevitably dragged in."

"Ah. Guild business, then?" Because that seemed to be the only thing that would involve both Dori and Ori getting Nori to do something.

"Aye." Nori nodded. "There were a few old bell-bearers on the latest caravan. They're all mostly settled in new trades now, some of them married, and none of them are looking to take contracts; however, they all agreed to help train any apprentices Dori's managed to gather so far. Which would be all well and good and nothing to do with me, Dori knows I won't take any full-time apprentices with all my other duties, except with this we actually have enough full members to officially re-establish the guild, and apparently that somehow requires more of me than just my existence."

"Let me guess." Dwalin smirked. "Dori wants to give you some high position in the guild?"

"Exactly!" Nori shook his head in disbelief. The small bell he wore on his braid tinkled brightly in the brisk air. "He should know I'm not fit for that sort of thing. Dori's going to make a great Guildmaster, he's a natural at running everyone's lives for them and fussing over every last detail, and Ori's taken to being the guild scribe like a fish to water. I'm no good at any of that, though. What could they possibly need me for?"

"Oh, I don't know. You'd make a great representative for the guild, I'd reckon, especially when it's still new. Dori can be a bit too forceful at times when he has his mind set on something, and while Ori might have taught himself all the laws and customs by heart he still gets all hesitant when he's supposed to be convincing people. It's one thing to establish the guild in law, you'll also need the support of other guilds, and out of the three of you you're the best at talking people over."

"That's not true and you know it. Dori is perfectly polite when the situation calls for it, and Ori's always been good at convincing people, especially now that he's learning some confidence."

"Except we both know guild matters aren't always settled with peaceful talks and pretty words. Your brothers are polite, but they're a bit too honest for the politics part of it all. You'll know best when to face people head on and when it's best to go behind their backs a little." Dwalin's lips twitched. "Though it might be something of an unfair advantage to have the spymaster also helping one of the guilds before others."

Nori snorted. "And you think that's any different from the old days? Nobody ever had as much information as the old confidante's guild. The contracts may mean we cannot spread any information we find out while working, but that doesn't mean the Guildmaster wasn't always aware who the strong and weak links of any structure were and who was the best choice to back in a conflict."

Dwalin thought about that for a moment. Now that Nori put it that way, it was rather easy to see. "Well. Even so, that only means you are a great choice to be a guild representative. You'll need a guild council anyway, and you know Dori wouldn't trust anyone as much as he trusts you and Ori."

"Aye, I know. Which is also why I know I can't truly escape this mess, but I can at least buy myself a few more days of respite while we're out here." Nori shook his head. "It's just indecent, it is. It's bad enough I'm supposed to be a honourable dwarf, and now they want me to get openly involved in guild politics!"

"You'll do great with that, I'm sure." That, Dwalin knew without a doubt. "With Dori on the inside, you on the outside, and Ori making sure the paperwork is clear, the rest of the guilds would do well to be wary."

"And the house of Ri takes back the place that should have always been ours." Nori glanced back toward the lake, and Dwalin did the same. The buildings might have been small and few, but they were new now, securely anchored to the lake bed. "Sometimes it's worth going back to the old, even if you have to rebuild everything."

"Aye," Dwalin agreed, and if his voice was a bit rougher than he might have hoped, they could both blame the evening air. "And after we rebuild, the young ones will have something bright and new to call their own."

Nori didn't respond, not as such, but the tinkling of his bell carried far in the slight breeze.


End file.
